The use of synthetic images has become increasingly important and widespread in motion pictures and other commercial and scientific applications. A synthetic image represents a two-dimensional array of digital values, called picture elements or pixels, and thus can be regarded as a two-dimensional function. Image synthesis, then, is the process of creating synthetic images from scenes. Image synthesis conventionally requires solving equations requiring substantial, and in some cases even impractical, levels of computational resources.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide improved methods, systems, devices and computer program products adapted for image synthesis.
More particularly, as described in greater detail below, it would be desirable to provide such methods, systems, devices and computer program products adapted to enable finite element light transport simulation, as well as new and improved radiosity and global illumination methods based on such an approach.